Danai Gurira calls Ryan Coogler the ‘M.L.K. of film’ in essay praising ‘Sinners’

Gurira and Coogler worked together on the “Black Panther” series, where she plays the general Okoye.

Danai Gurira wrote a passionate essay praising the vampire thriller “Sinners” and its director, Ryan Coogler. In her “love letter,” published by the Hollywood Reporter, she called the film “genre-defying,” “humanity-affirming,” and “culture-enriching.”

Gurira also explained why she thinks of Coogler’s innovation and strides as a director in Hollywood similarly to civil rights icon Martin Luther King Jr.

“In my more hyperbolic moments, I think of him as the M.L.K. of film. He has broken us into a new domain; he has mainstreamed the unapologetic, authentic, epic, global Black experience. He has made millions upon millions of people feel seen and heard. And done so while excelling at the old Hollywood game that we as Black people have often been excluded from. And he has done it all with the gentlest, kindest, most fair-minded spirit you are ever going to encounter. And all before the age of forty.”

Comparing the experience of watching “Sinners” to her first time watching Steven Spielberg’s “E.T.” at five years old, she praised her “Black Panther” collaborator for being able to capture her “mind, imagination, and soul.”

The Zimbabwe-born actor, best known for her roles in the “Black Panther” films and “The Walking Dead” television series, wrote that when she first met Coogler, she told him she was already proud of him without knowing him. She has spoken previously about her excitement to be able to play the role of Okoye in Coogler’s “Black Panther,” telling ABC News in 2018 why she was impressed by how he envisioned the world of Wakanda.

“I write plays about the continent. I consider myself an Africanist. I’m a little snobby about it all. So when I sat down with him, I was so amazed by what his plans were and his vision for it and his vision for my character and how complex she was,” she said.

In the essay, the “Walking Dead” actor also said that “Sinners” gives a “permission slip” to artists to tell their stories, their way.

“The courage it took for Ryan to make this film does not go unnoticed. We are not in a time in our sector where originality is encouraged, let alone produced. The unapologetic, uncompromising power of this narrative makes it something of dire importance to the artist of today.”

Following the release of “Sinners” in April 2025, Gurira showed support for the film on her social media, posting on Instagram, “In awe of my brothers Ryan and Michael B right now… I’m going another three times because this is not a movie you only indulge in one time!”

“Sinners” received a record-breaking 16 Oscar nominations ahead of the Academy Awards next month, which include Ryan Coogler for Best Director, Michael B. Jordan for Best Actor, and Delroy Lindo for Best Supporting Actor. Set in Clarksdale, Mississippi, the film grossed over $300 million in ticket sales worldwide, making it one of the most successful in Hollywood’s horror genre.

On Coogler, Gurira penned in her essay, “The legacy he will leave will be unprecedented. And will cause others to stand in their power, and tell their stories without apology. And the world will be better for it. But what we cannot forget is that he made one of the most singular pieces of cinema we have seen to date. He reminded us all what the power of this medium can do. He created something from nothing that cannot be put in one box.”